The Girl Who Wouldn't Play Ball
by peace and joyce
Summary: Alexa is from District 10. Taking place at the 71st Hunger Games, she will perform a single piece of defiance that will seal her anonymous reputation; forever, as one of the Games' greatest scandals.
1. Time Is Running Out

60 SECONDS TO GO

They're big. That's the first thing I noticed. Big and strong: there's no way I could ever take them on. Not even that girl from 7. I think she's hiding something.

I observed them in training. 10 of them (not including the Career Tributes) could kill me instantly.

I look over at the weapons radiating from that hideous, demonic Cornucopia. Axes. Maces. Nail bombs. There's hardly any food.

I can see Sam, my district partner, looking at them too. We'd never met before the Games- District 10 being so big and all, but I like him lots. He's plucky and friendly and gave me this huge smile at the reaping. On the train he leaned over as if to confer confidentially.

"Don't worry, Alexa" he whispered, "We'll be fine."

He's my friend, is Sam, he really is- but he's wrong. It won't be fine. They tried to hide them from me, but I saw them. I saw the odds. I have no sponsors. They don't care.

The situation has become serious. The seconds are ticking by and I need to make a decision and fast.

I've had enough. I have no choice. Either I am bludgeoned to death, frozen by fear, in the arena. Or I live, as a glorified puppet of the Capitol's making, indebted to them and totally dependent.

I look down at my metal plate

It gives me an idea. A crazy, seditious idea. But it's the only one I've got.

I'm not going to play the Hunger Games. I'm not going to die on the Capitol's terms, but my own. I run my life, there's only so much President Snow can do. However they spin it, whatever they say about me, I'm still my own person. And I'll never let anyone take that away from me.

Sam will understand. We've talked about the games before, a lot actually.

I smile at him. He smiled in hello. I smile goodbye.

I can feel my small wooden ball edging out of my fingers. It's been with me all my life and by taking me into death; it's taking me where the Capitol can never harm me.

I've seen landmines in operation. I hated them, but misery makes strange bedfellows.

I'm still staring at Sam, when the weight of the ball is touching my fingertips. I don't want to see it fall. I mouth my last words to Sam.

And then I drop it.


	2. Attributed

DOMNA'S STORY

It was tough, losing Alexa. As a victor, and as mentor, you get used to meeting, genuine sparky kids and then witnessing their demises on live TV. But though I was certain she would not survive, I was never quite prepared. I was certainly not prepared for that explosion.

There was a scandal regarding that action, Seneca Crane told me so at a victor's reunion. Alexa's death was a potential scandal for the Gamemakers; and for the first time, the Hunger Games footage was altered. Never before in over 70 years of Games has the compulsory programme been recorded and not live. I've been careful to keep that secret. This urgent recovery project was overseen personally by President Snow himself! Curious though, how a simple bit of editing can defuse a scandal, an outrage. The Gamemaker's certainly won't be forgetting her any time soon.

I'm always reminded of Alexa, she's a common talking point for the Games. All the girl tributes I meet always remind me of her, and what she was prepared to do. Whenever they discuss that year's Games, there's sure to be an: _"Did you see that girl with the ball?" _Her token's virtually iconic now.

It almost sickens me.

I found that in the days after those games, I missed Sam more and more. He did very well, to come 8th, but in the end he let the arena get the better of him.

But Alexa from District 10 is not the end of the story. Because, just 4 years later, after her demise came another girl from a "double digit" district. Another tribute girl who was surprised by the lengths she could go. Another girl who didn't mess around, wouldn't "play ball" with the Capitol.

But this time, the damage was far greater.


End file.
